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Friday, August 5, 2016

Venezuela: From Democratic Socialism to Forced Labor

Venezuela has progressed to the ultimate result of socialism: forced labor. When people do not
have incentives to work (for PROFITS), then you have to put a gun to
their head to get the work done. It reminds me again of Chapter 38 of
the Tao Te Ching:

When a truly kind man does something, he leaves nothing undone. When a just man does something, he leaves a great deal to be done. When a disciplinarian does something and no one responds, He rolls up his sleeves in an attempt to enforce order.
Therefore when Tao is lost, there is goodness. When goodness is lost, there is kindness. When kindness is lost, there is justice. When justice is lost, there ritual. Now ritual is the husk of faith and loyalty, the beginning of confusion. Knowledge of the future is only a flowery trapping of Tao. It is the beginning of folly.
Therefore the truly great man dwells on what is real and not what is on the surface, On the fruit and not the flower. Therefore accept the one and reject the other.

Someone told me that Venezuela is not socialist, but communist. Is that so?

Socialism is defined as "a political and economic theory of social organization
that advocates that the means of production, distribution, and exchange
should be owned or regulated by the community as a whole." Under
socialism, the State owns or heavily regulates all schools, farms,
factories, markets, etc., eliminating private ownership.

Communism is defined as "a society in which all property is publicly owned and
each person works and is paid according to their abilities and needs."
All property means all schools, farms, factories, markets, etc.,
eliminating private ownership.

"Owned
or regulated by the community as a whole" is the virtual equivalent of
"publicly owned" because if the State regulates the means of
production, then it controls the means of production, so any "private"
ownership is in name only...because if I don't have control of my
property then I don't really own it. Ownership means having control and
responsibility; without that one doesn't have ownership.

Karl
Marx identified socialism as a transitional social state between the
overthrow of capitalism and the realization of communism, which he
claimed would be the "dictatorship of the workers."

Hence,
since both socialism and communism eliminate private ownership/control
of the means of production, they are essentially indistinguishable
economic systems. This is why the former communist Soviet Union was
officially named the Union of Soviet SOCIALIST Republics.

Many people confuse welfare state with socialism. Many European nations
claimed to be "socialist" are not so, because these States do not
abolish private property or own all means of production. They are
capitalist welfare states providing their citizens with social safety
nets, wherein many schools and all or virtually all of the means of
production, farms, factories, etc. are privately owned. In fact, some
of the European nations claimed to be "socialist" rank high on the
economic freedom/private enterprise index. Switzerland ranks #4
(compared to #11 for the USA, and has no minimum wage! Another darling of the left, Canada ranks #6. The Nordic nations aren't socialist or even predominantly left-leaning either:

BY KEVIN WILLIAMSON. CLICK HERE FOR FULL ARTICLE IN THE NATIONAL REVIEW

Socialism is immoral because it is based on theft: taking private property from the rightful owners. Theft of property inexorably leads to theft of liberty. Insanity is doing the same
thing over and over and expecting different results.

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My Guide To Time-Restricted Feeding

My book on time-restricted feeding and periodic fasting for health, fat loss and muscle building. Click on image to get the book from Amazon.

Most Published Research Findings Are FALSE

In the August 2005 publication of the online PLOS, John Ioannidis thoroughly explained "Why Most Published Research Findings Are False." He showed that "Simulations show that for most study designs and settings, it is more likely for a research claim to be false than true. Moreover, for many current scientific fields, claimed research findings may often be simply accurate measures of the prevailing bias."

I don't remember when I first read his paper (probably no later than 2010), but I do know that I didn't begin to take him very seriously until about February 2017. Up until then, I thought that I could discover the truth about diet, nutrition and health by sorting through and analyzing published diet and nutrition research, which to say the least presents contradictory findings from different camps with different biases.

In late 2016, after more than 5 years eating an apparently nutrient-dense, high protein vegan diet, I had a blood test that showed that I had significantly low levels of globulin and phosphorus, indicating that I was likely not getting adequate protein or phosphorus from that diet.

Since then, I have worked on ridding myself of the belief that published diet and nutrition "science" or research is credible by virtue of its publication. I have worked on switching to relying on my own direct experience and senses of need, preference, taste, and satisfaction to guide my food choices. I am hoping to help others do the same.

If I could relay only one message from this point forward it would be: DON'T PUT YOUR FAITH IN SCIENCE AND DON'T RELY ON AUTHORITIES. BECOME SELF-RELIANT AND AUTONOMOUS.

Disclaimer

At one time I used this blog to explore and support the theory and practice of modernized, highly animal-based paleo and low-carb diets.

As I evolved, I became a paleo-diet heretic, and this blog became an exploration and presentation of the evidence values that support the practice of a whole foods plant-based diet.

Everything changes, and my experience, knowledge and understanding are no exception. In short, I have found the weaknesses and faults in plant-based ideology and practice as well.

I have tried to digest and assimilate the apparently conflicting information coming from the opposite ends of the diet debates (meat-based and high-fat vs. plant-based high-carbohydrate).

I have incorporated that new information into my world view and perspective and in the process revealed and corrected my errors when necessary.

The Chinese sage Chuang Tzu observed: "Tao is obscured when men understand only one pair of opposites, or concentrate only on a partial aspect of being. Then clear expression also becomes muddled by mere wordplay, affirming this one aspect and denying all the rest. The pivot of Tao passes through the center where all affirmations and denials converge. He who grasps the pivot is at the still-point from which all movements and oppositions can be seen in their right relationship... Abandoning all thought of imposing a limit or taking sides, he rests in direct intuition. "

Through understanding and experimenting with the dietary opposites, in late February 2017 I came to an understanding of the still-point between the extremes and the role of "intuition" from one's True Nature in solving the apparent dilemma.

About Me

I am a member of MENSA who has not always made smart choices. I have a master's degree in philosophy, and do my best to pursue truth and virtue. I have made mistakes in public, and have not been afraid to admit it. I believe that if I'm not making mistakes, I'm not learning or growing or living fully. Like Thoreau, I believe that "life is an experiment to a great extent untried," and that a philosopher should show by example a better way of life, not just spout doctrines and arguments. I value freedom and abhor slavery. I have a master's degree in Oriental medicine and the course work equivalent of a bachelor's degree in nutrition. I seek health, fitness, and longevity through self-discipline in physical training and food. In short, I practice macrobiotics: philosophy, freedom, fitness, and food. Hopefully others can learn from my successes and my mistakes.